Vol. 15, No. 1 / The Changing Demographic Profiles of U.S. Commercial Fishermen

ABSTRACT

• This newsletter summarizes the changes in the demographic profiles of fishermen and owners of the U.S. commercial fishing industry.
• Demographic profiles include distribution by gender, race or ethnic origin, and age group.
• Results indicate that the percentage of fishers and owners 65 years old and above rose from 7.6% in 2016 to 12.4% in 2020 and 13.5% in 2024.
• The percentage of White fishers and owners also rose from 81.0% in 2016 to 81.3% in 2020 and 84.1% in 2024.
• The percentage of female fishers and owners rose from 6.8% in 2016 to 9.2% in 2020 but fell to 5.5% in 2024.

KEYWORDS

• Commercial fishermen, demographic characteristics, greying of the commercial fleet.

METHODS

• Demographic profiles include distribution by gender, race or ethnic origin, and age group.
• The demographic data were compiled from the EMSI website in 2016 and 2020 and the Lightcast website in 2024.

THE PERCENTAGE OF U.S. FISHERS AND OWNERS ROSE AMONG THESE GROUPS FROM 2016 TO 2024.

• White fishers and owners rose from 81.0% in 2016 to 81.3% in 2020 and 84.2% in 2024.
• Fishers and owners who reported two or more races increased from 2.4% in 2016 to 3.5% in 2020 and 5.3% in 2024.
• Hispanic or Latino fishers and owners increased from 2.0% in 2016 to 3.5% in 2020 and 4.5% in 2024.
• Native American or Other Pacific Islander fishers and owners increased from 0.2% in 2016 to 0.3% in 2020 and 0.4% in 2024.

THE DECLINE IN THE PERCENTAGES OF U.S. FISHERS AND OWNERS AMONG THESE GROUPS WAS OBSERVED FROM 2016 TO 2024.

• Asian fishers and owners declined from 7.5% in 2016 to 5.8% in 2020 and 2.6% in 2024.
• American Indian or Alaska Native fishers and owners decreased from 5.9% in 2016 to 4.3% in 2020 and 2.4% in 2024.
• Black or African American fishers and owners rose from 1.0% in 2016 to 1.4% in 2020 but fell to 0.8% in 2024.

OVERALL, THE PERCENTAGE OF FEMALE U.S. FISHERS AND OWNERS DECREASED FROM 2016 TO 2024.

• Female U.S. fishers and owners among these groups increased from 2016 to 2020.
• However, female U.S. fishers and owners decreased from 2020 to 2024.

OVERALL, THE PERCENTAGE OF U.S. FISHERS AND OWNERS ROSE AMONG THE YOUNGER AGE GROUPS FROM 2016 TO 2024.

• The 14-18-year-old fishers and owners rose from 1.4% in 2016 to 2.5% in 2024 but fell to 0.9% in 2020.
• The 19-24-year-old fishers and owners fell from 4.6% in 2016 to 4.4% in 2020 but rose to 6.6% in 2020.
• The 25-34-year-old fishers and owners fell from 13.8% in 2016 to 11.9% in 2020 but rose to 18.5% in 2020.
• The 35-44-year-old fishers and owners fell from 21.1% in 2016 to 12.0% in 2020 but rose to 26.3% in 2020.
• The percentage of fishers and owners 65 years old and above rose from 7.6% in 2016 to 12.4% in 2020 and 13.5% in 2024.

OVERALL, THE PERCENTAGE OF U.S. FISHERMEN AND OWNERS FELL AMONG 45- TO 64-YEAR-OLDS FROM 2016 TO 2024.

• The 45-54-year-old fishers and owners fell from 29.9% in 2016 to 27.7% in 2020 and 16.7% in 2024.
• The 55-64-year-old fishers and owners rose from 21.5% in 2016 to 30.8% in 2020 but fell to 15.9% in 2024.

SUMMARY, LIMITATIONS, AND IMPLICATIONS

This newsletter provides detailed information about the changes in the demographic profiles of fishermen and owners of the U.S. commercial fishing industry.
Demographic profiles include  gender, race or ethnic origin, and age group.
The demographic data were compiled from the EMSI website in 2016 and 2020 and the Lightcast website in 2024.
Results indicate that the percentage of fishers and owners 65 years old and above almost doubled between 2016 and 2024.
The percentage of White fishers and owners slightly rose from 2016 to 2024.
The percentage of female fishers and owners generally fell from 2016 to 2024.  

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

• This newsletter is a contribution of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and the Mississippi State University Extension Service. This material is based upon work that is supported in part by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Hatch project under accession number 100004, and
• This work was supported in part by the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, and the states of Alabama and Mississippi—federal grant number NA24OARX417C0155-T1-01. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of any of these funders.
• This newsletter is a Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Publication MASGP-25-058-01.

SUGGESTED CITATION

• Posadas, B.C. 2025. The Changing Demographic Profiles of U.S. Commercial Fishermen. Vol. 15, No. 1. Mississippi State University Extension and Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Publication MASGP-25-058-01. January 15, 2025. https://extension.msstate.edu/newsletters/mississippi-marketmaker.